After their home under [[Erebor]] had been [[Sack of Erebor|sacked]] by the [[dragon]] [[Smaug]], many of the [[Dwarves]] of [[Durin's Folk]] were homeless and wandered through western [[Middle-earth]], trying to make as best a living they could. After some years of wandering they settled down in [[Dunland]].<ref>{{App|A3}}</ref>

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After their home under [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]] had been [[Sack of Erebor|sacked]] by the [[dragon]] [[Smaug]], many of the [[Dwarves]] of [[Durin's Folk]] were homeless and wandered through western [[Middle-earth]], trying to make as best a living they could. After some years of wandering they settled down in [[Dunland]].<ref>{{App|A3}}</ref>

Among these Dwarves were [[Thrór]], formerly [[King under the Mountain]], his son [[Thráin II]] and grandson [[Thorin II]] who became later known as Thorin Oakenshield.

Among these Dwarves were [[Thrór]], formerly [[King under the Mountain]], his son [[Thráin II]] and grandson [[Thorin II]] who became later known as Thorin Oakenshield.

Revision as of 16:34, 16 June 2012

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Thrór became despaired after living many years in poverty, or perhaps the Ring he wore was ultimately working towards his bearers evil, and thus Thrór went away from his kin in Third AgeT.A.2790, accompanied by his friend Nár. They crossed the Redhorn Pass and Thráin came to the old mines of Moria, though Nár warned him and was unwilling to enter this evil place.

Thrór was slain by Azog the Orc-chieftain who had made himself an abode in Moria. Upon Thrór's head had been branded Azog's name and the corpse was thrown out of the gate were it was found by Nár, who was left alive to serve as a messenger to tell the Dwarves that Azog now claimed to be the King of Moria.

When Nár returned to the king's son Thráin II, he told him of his father's murder. Thráin sat for seven days without eating or sleeping, until he stood and said "This cannot be borne!"[2]

From 2790 to 2793 the Longbeards responded to this tragedy by gathering their forces, and calling on all the other Houses of the Dwarves for war.

Early Stages

In 2793 they attacked, assailing and sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could find from Mount Gundabad in the north, to the Gladden Fields in the south.

Little is known about what happened during these six years, but most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines and tunnels of the Misty Mountains, where Dwarves excelled in combat.

After the battle, King Thráin II wanted to enter Moria and reclaim it, but the Dwarves not of Durin's folk refused, saying that the city was not their Fathers' House; they had honored Thrór's memory by fighting, and this was enough. Dáin Ironfoot also warned Thráin that Durin's Bane still dwelt within Khazad-dûm.

Aftermath and Repercussions

The war was very costly for the Dwarves. Half of those involved in the Battle of Azanulbizar were killed and possibly a couple thousand more were killed throughout the rest of the war. Náin, Frerin, and Fundin were among the more notable casualties. Thráin II himself lost an eye, and Thorin was wounded when his shield broke and he had to use an oak branch to defend himself, which gave rise to his surname Oakenshield.

The Orcs that survived the final battle (as many as 10,000) fled south through Rohan, trying to claim a refuge in the White Mountains beyond, where they troubled the Rohirrim for two generations.

One positive outcome however was that the Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for Eriador and Wilderland. One and a half century later the Orcs of the North were beginning to recover, but their population was even further reduced during the Battle of Five Armies in 2941, where Bolg son of Azog tried to avenge his father, and in the process lost three fourths of his people.

It is possible that without this War, the later War of the Ring would have been lost in the north, and the Ring-bearer might never have made it south to Mordor.